In Malaysia today, traditionally-crafted parangs coexist with more modern adaptations, which feature cast plastic handles and polyurethane sheaths. In the hot, humid Malaysian jungle, wood fittings don't last forever and can rot. Modern versions like these Bidor parangs from the Malaysian state of Perak are built with the design features of the traditional parangs in mind. These are perhaps the best of the modern ones made today, and definitely much nicer than my previous batch of Malaysian jungle parangs.

This 16 1/4" parang is well made and made to use! Modern Malaysian parangs feature cast plastic handles, steel bolsters and carbon steel blades with the forge scale left on. These nice Bidor parangs feature well-crafted handles, good fittings and just a higher standard of overall workmanship than the standard Malaysian user parang.

The cast plastic handle has some little bits of plastic from molding left, which is easy to remove even with your fingernails. The handle is 4 3/4" long with the bolster. While this may sound short to some, it locks your hand in perfectly and you are supposed to creep up on the handle during use.

The blade is 12.5" long and 3/16" thick. It is user sharp. The carbon spring steel used for Malaysian parangs tends to be softer than on modern blades in the west, but this leads to a more durable blade being easier to sharpen. A parang is a vital tool for Malaysians, especially in the jungle.

The blade is 1 5/8" wide at its widest point.

The sheath is made from thick polyurethane and again, is much better quality than on the last batch of modern parangs I offered. The belt loop is riveted on.

There are some forge marks visible on the blade, as well as a stamp from the forge.

The handle was locked onto the tang with a nut, and then the excess was ground off.

The balance point is 3.5" in front of the bolster.

This is an excellent user parang, and ready to ship! 14 oz, or 19.7 oz with the sheath. $95 shipped.